THAILAND: Do-It-Yourself Premier

"We must take one step backward in order to
take 100 steps forward," declared tough, chunky Field Marshal Sarit
Thanarat, 51, and with that convenient philosophy in mind last October,
he took over Thailand's government, abrogated the constitution,
dissolved the Parliament, abolished political parties, and set up
martial law. Since most of the democratic trappings of the country were
more apparent than real, Thailand did not seem to mind such
highhandedness at all. Weeks ago, as the Buddhist Lenten season of
Purima Pansa began. Thai temples gleamed with new coats of gold in
keeping with the old adage. "When the...